End to end binding using imaging material and continuous sheet printing

Abstract

Using imaging material binding techniques to simulate continuous sheet printing with single sheets of print media. Imaging material is applied to a binding region along the trailing edge of a first sheet. The trailing edge of the first sheet and the leading edge of a following second sheet are overlapped and the imaging material is activated to bind the sheets together. This process may be repeated for successive sheets to form one continuous sheet. The invention may be implemented, for example, in a stand alone appliance used in conjunction with a conventional single sheet printer, as an integrated printing device, or through a computer readable medium used to control operations in one or both of these devices.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method of binding sheet media, comprising: 
       applying imaging material to a binding region along a trailing edge of a first sheet;  
       overlapping the trailing edge of the first sheet with a second sheet; and  
       activating the imaging material applied to the binding region of the first sheet.  
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the act of overlapping comprises overlapping the trailing edge of the first sheet with a leading edge of the a second sheet. 
     
     
       3. A method of binding sheet media, comprising: 
       providing a first sheet followed by a second sheet;  
       applying imaging material to a binding region along a leading edge of the second sheet;  
       overlapping the leading edge of the second sheet with the first sheet; and  
       activating the imaging material applied to the binding region of the second sheet.  
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the act of overlapping comprises overlapping the leading edge of the second sheet with a the trailing edge of the first sheet. 
     
     
       5. A method of continuous sheet printing, comprising: 
       applying imaging material in a pattern of a desired print image on a plurality of sheets;  
       applying imaging material to a binding region along a leading edge or trailing edge of each sheet;  
       overlapping the leading edge of each sheet with the trailing edge of an adjacent sheet; and  
       activating the imaging material in the pattern and in the binding region.  
     
     
       6. A method of continuous sheet printing, comprising: 
       applying imaging material in a pattern of a desired print image on a plurality of sheets;  
       applying imaging material to a binding region along a leading edge or trailing edge of each sheet;  
       activating the imaging material in the print pattern and in the binding region;  
       overlapping the leading edge of each sheet with the trailing edge of an adjacent sheet; and  
       re-activating the imaging material in the binding region of each sheet.  
     
     
       7. A computer readable medium having instructions for: 
       applying imaging material to a binding region along a trailing edge of a first sheet;  
       overlapping the trailing edge of the first sheet with a second sheet; and  
       activating the imaging material applied to the binding region of the first sheet.  
     
     
       8. The medium of  claim 7 , wherein the instructions for overlapping comprise instructions for overlapping the trailing edge of the first sheet with a leading edge of a second sheet. 
     
     
       9. A computer readable medium having instructions for: 
       providing a first sheet followed by a second sheet;  
       applying imaging material to a binding region along a leading edge of the second sheet;  
       overlapping the leading edge of the second sheet with the first sheet; and activating the imaging material applied to the binding region of the second sheet.  
     
     
       10. The medium of  claim 9 , wherein the instructions for overlapping comprise instruction for overlapping the leading edge of the second sheet with a trailing edge of the first sheet. 
     
     
       11. A computer readable medium having instructions for: 
       applying imaging material in a pattern of a desired print image on one or more of a plurality of sheets;  
       applying imaging material to a binding region along a leading edge or trailing edge of each sheet;  
       overlapping the leading edge of each sheet with the trailing edge of an adjacent sheet; and  
       activating the imaging material in the pattern and in the binding region.  
     
     
       12. A computer readable medium having instructions for: 
       applying imaging material in a pattern of a desired print image on one or more of a plurality of sheets;  
       applying imaging material to a binding region along a leading edge or trailing edge of each sheet;  
       activating the imaging material in the pattern and in the binding region;  
       overlapping the leading edge of each sheet with the trailing edge of an adjacent sheet; and  
       re-activating the imaging material in the binding region of each sheet.  
     
     
       13. A printing device, comprising: 
       a print engine including a photoconductor and a fuser;  
       a controller operatively coupled to the print engine; and  
       the controller having a processor and programmable memory configured to transmit electronic signals to the print engine to apply toner in a pattern of a desired print image on one or more of a plurality of sheets, apply toner to a binding region along a leading edge or trailing edge of each sheet, overlap the leading edge of each sheet with the trailing edge of an adjacent sheet and fuse the toner in the pattern and in the binding region.  
     
     
       14. The printing device of  claim 13 , further comprising a formatter, the controller operatively coupled between the formatter and the print engine, the formatter having a processor and programmable memory configured to generate and transmit to the controller electronic data representing the desired print image and binding region of each sheet. 
     
     
       15. The printing device of  claim 14 , wherein the formatter and the controller form one integral component of the printing device. 
     
     
       16. A computer readable medium having instructions for: 
       defining a binding region along a trailing edge of a first sheet; and  
       generating instructions for a printing device to apply imaging material to the binding region of the first sheet, overlap the trailing edge of the first sheet with a second sheet, and activate the imaging material applied to the binding region of the first sheet.  
     
     
       17. The medium of  claim 16 , further comprising instructions for transmitting the generated instructions to the printing device. 
     
     
       18. A computer readable medium having instructions for: 
       defining a first sheet and a second sheet;  
       defining a binding region along a leading edge of the second sheet; and  
       generating instructions for a printing device to apply imaging material to the binding region of the second sheet, overlap the leading edge of the second sheet with the first sheet, and activate the imaging material applied to the binding region of the second sheet.  
     
     
       19. A computer readable medium having instructions for: 
       defining a pattern of a desired print image on one or more of a plurality of sheets;  
       defining a binding region along a leading edge or trailing edge of each sheet; and  
       generating instructions for a printing device to apply imaging material to the sheets in the pattern of the desired print image, apply imaging material to the binding region of each sheet, overlap the leading edge of each sheet with the trailing edge of an adjacent sheet, and activate the imaging material in the pattern and in the binding region.